Ron the Piano Man
by whitem
Summary: My entry into MrDrP's V-Daypalooza. A little noir tale from Ron's point of view, in of all places... a Piano Bar.


OK folks, here's my entry for MrDrP's "V-Daypalooza eye eye eye".

Disclaimer: The characters used therein are not of my warped mind, just the story itself. Any songs referred to by either direct or indirect measures aren't mine either, and they are properly credited in the story itself.

Ron the Piano Man

It was 9 o'clock on a Saturday, and of all the low-down, dirty, rat infested bars in this town, and she just had to walk into mine.

Looking as beautiful as ever, I eyed this red headed vixen as soon as she walked in. I drank in every movement as she gracefully walked up to the bar and sat down on one of the stools. My fingers continued to tickle the ivory's with a slow melodic tune, while she sauntered across the floor and sat down at the bar. She was wearing… that… dress. The one that she knew drove me wild. At least, before she had walked out of my life so long ago.

Her green eyes surveyed the room as if she was looking for something… or someone... and I could see them brighten considerably when they landed on the person she was looking for… Me.

She smiled that smile that possibly said she still held a torch for yours truly, and she slowly turned on the barstool while crossing her legs. Just as those two pieces of art settled down into position, one of her black shoes slipped off and fell to the floor. It broke my concentration just enough to hit a clunker in the tune I was playing.

I noticed from the corner of my eye the disgusted look of a patron as they plunked a couple dollars into the glass that sat on top of the old Baby Grand. They had requested the song I was currently playing, but I didn't care as the song itself was about over.

After crooning out the last few notes I leaned into the microphone that reeked of beer and cigarettes and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, that was my rendition of "Blue Eyes", originally sung by Elton John." A smattering of applause wafted from the small crowd of regulars that frequented this little 'hole in the wall'. "I'm going to take about a ten or fifteen minute break here folks, and then I'll be able to take any other requests you may have. Please remember to tip your waitresses, and Charlie says to try the Veal. It's the special for tonight."

Slowly I stood from my bench and leaned back a bit cracking my back. Then I slowly walked over to the bar where she was sitting, and I leaned against the bar and motioned to the bartender John to give me my usual, which was two fingers of Brandy on ice.

After John sat my drink down, he glanced at the stunning woman I was now sitting next to and went about his business serving other customers. I hadn't looked at her yet, but I knew she was looking at me, and after a moment she finally spoke. "Sing me a song Mr. Piano man?"

I took a sip of my brandy, and then turned and smiled at her saying, "Sing you a song tonight?"

The two of us nervously laughed for a few seconds, and then neither of us made another sound. Glasses clinked in the background and bar patrons continued their idle conversations, oblivious to the nervous tension that was now between the two of us.

"So how have you been doing Ron?" She finally asked while breathing out almost nervously.

"I'm doing good. I've had this gig for the past 6 months, and the pay isn't too bad."

"Tara told me." She quickly said before I could even ask how she had found me.

"Yeah… I had a feeling." I said with a sad smile, and then suddenly realized I couldn't meet her eyes with my own.

"Ron… Please… Look at me?"

I took a breath and pulled my eyes away from her shapely ankles to slowly take in her figure before I finally found her shining green orbs. For a moment it looked like she was going to cry, but she took a breath and the unfallen tears that had welled up somehow disappeared.

"I still love you." She quietly said, but to me it sounded like she yelled it at the top of her lungs.

"Then…" I started to say, and she quietly and quickly interrupted me once more.

"You want to know why." I nodded. "I know it's not an excuse Ron, but I was… just in a weird place at the time, and I didn't really know _what_ I wanted.

"You left me Kim." My voice rose just enough to make a few people close by to look over at us in concern for a moment, but then they went back to nursing their own sorrows.

"I know Ronnie… I know." She said quietly while wrapping her slender fingers around my hand, the one that was still holding my drink. "And I want to come back. I've missed you so much."

"So did Shego finally kick you out?" I asked with more than a little vehemence.

"Nnnnooo…" Kim slowly responded. "I left her."

"Oh." Was my simple response, since I wasn't expecting that for an answer. "When?"

"Just a few days ago, and I hope to never go back." An angry look came over Kim's face for a few seconds, but I decided not to press the issue as it seemed like a sore subject. "So… What do you think?"

It was hard _for_ me to think. Her perfume was intoxicating, and her beauty was as stunning as ever. "I… I just don't know Kim." I think she was as surprised as I was at my choice of words.

Kim lowered her face and bit her lip while keeping her eyes on me. "I heard how hard the break up was for you."

Damn this woman was still gorgeous.

Once again that tense silence appeared, but this time it was interrupted by Charlie, the owner of the bar. "Ron… I hate to interrupt you with this lovely lady…"

I looked at my watch as I had lost track of time completely. "Oh… Sorry Charlie. I didn't realize my break time was over."

"That's OK Ron. I can see how you got distracted." He smiled at Kim, who responded in kind with a shy smile of her own.

Charlie walked away, and as I turned to head back to my piano I felt Kim's hand on my forearm. "Please Ron?" She said, almost using that dreadful puppy-dog look. "Think about it?"

With a heavy sigh I said, "Can you hang out for about an hour and a half? I'll be done for the night by then."

"Sure…" She said. "I can do that." As I walked away I heard Kim order a Club Soda with a twist of lime from John.

…x x x x…

For the next 90 minutes I played and sang song requests that ranged from classic 50's to show tunes, and even a few twangy country songs. I then finished off with a rousing version of "Piano Man", which was originally sung by the Great Billy Joel.

As I was putting together all my stuff into a backpack, Kim walked up to me. "Well?" She said with hope filling her eyes.

This woman had broken my heart and trampled on it a long time ago, but all I could think was just how much I was still in love with her. The pain was still there from when she had left me for a woman… a green skinned woman at that… but yet, for some reason that pain wasn't as intense as it had once been. Maybe this _could_ work again.

I shouldered the backpack and said, "I know a little 24 hour café that's just down the street. They make a good Patty Melt, and a fair cup of coffee."

"Sounds nice." Kim said with a smile and hooked her arm into mine. "I could use a good cup of coffee."

Then she leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek, and Kim didn't see the light green glow that I noticed back in a dark corner of the bar. It illuminated a green skinned face that I immediately recognized. The look on that face wasn't one of anger or spite, or meant to frighten… it was more of a warning.

A warning that said, "Take care of her… or else."

And that's exactly what I plan on doing, but after the Patty Melt and coffee.

The End…

* * *

Let me say that I do not profess to be any good at writing Noir, as this was my first try. MR. Wizard is still the best at that style, in my eyes.

And yes, I know this is short, and I could have gone into the conversation at the café and what happens after that, but I figure that would be another story.


End file.
